University Archives: Resource Guide to the Homecoming Tradition

This guide describes materials available in the University of Iowa Archives, Department of Special Collections, that pertain to the Homecoming tradition at The University of Iowa. RG numbers refer to the described collection’s record group number. The guide also includes information about resources elsewhere on The University of Iowa campus.

Iowa’s first Homecoming game was held on November 23, 1912, versus Wisconsin. Although that contest resulted in a loss, the Hawkeyes compiled a Homecoming record of 54 wins, 40 losses, and five ties in the 100 years to follow.

If you have questions about our holdings, please feel free to contact us.

Daily Iowan Newspaper Collection. Historic issues of the University of Iowa’s student newspaper are online, dating from 1868, and are searchable by date. The collection is part of the Iowa Digital Library and may be viewed at http://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/. RG 02.11.

F.W. Kent Photographs Collection. Photos pertaining to Homecoming are housed in two folders in this collection under the “Events and Activities” category: “Homecoming” and “Corn Monuments.” RG 30.01.01.

Game programs and media guides. Team rosters, player descriptions, Hawkeye and Big Ten conference records and other information may be found in the Archives’ collection of programs and media guides for women’s and men’s athletics. The media guides also include all-season won-lost records, information about which bowl games were played in which seasons, and all-time lists of student athletes and the years in which they lettered (RG 28.03.03). Current media guides are online: Go to hawkeyesports.com and from “The Hawkeyes” drop-down menu, select the sport, then click on “media guide.”

Hawkeye Yearbook Collection. All volumes of the University of Iowa’s student annual, produced from 1892 to 1992 with an interruption during the 1970s, are online and are searchable by year and by text. The collection is part of the Iowa Digital Library and may be viewed at http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/yearbooks/. RG 02.10.

The Homecoming Badge Collection, featuring commemorative badges from 1924 to present, is displayed in the lobby of the Iowa House, Iowa Memorial Union.

Office of University Relations Collection of Slides of Campus Events, Scenes, and People. The images chronicle campus life from 1983 to 2005 and include numerous Homecoming-themed items. RG 30.02.05.

Realia and Artifacts General Collection. The collection includes an incomplete set of Homecoming commemorative badges, produced beginning in 1924. RG 31.01.01.

Records of the Homecoming Committee. The collection covers the years 1912-1996. Files are arranged chronologically by year. RG 02.08.02.